Contrasts

This afternoon the Whatcom Symphony presented the first concert of its 41st season (see extra). An all-Tchaikovsky program, it opened with the challenging Concerto for Violin in D major, Op. 35, played with stunning skill, verve, and expression by Simone Porter, who just turned 20. She made her professional debut with the Seattle Symphony at age 10, and is clearly a violinist of considerable talent!

I find live music of this caliber deeply moving, and today was no exception. After what seems like an eternity of tasteless, threatening campaigning by one of the candidates for president of this country, it was balm indeed to listen to this talented young woman performing on a violin made in 1745 a work written by a Russian composer in 1862 -- a much-needed reminder of the "bigger picture" of what makes up our lives.

Featured on the second half of the program was Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 4 in F minor, Op. 36 (1878), a powerful work that challenges every section of the orchestra. I've never heard the Whatcom Symphony sound better, and Maestro Attar's expressive conducting enhanced the experience. 

The symphony has a "Take a Teen" program, in which you can receive a free ticket for a teenager with the purchase of a regular ticket. Our friend T, who cuts our hair, has a young teen daughter, L, who started playing violin five weeks ago. We gave them tickets to today's concert through the "Take a Teen" program and in the intermission, L introduced me to her school orchestra director, who plays in the symphony! 

After the concert, we walked a few blocks to one of our favorite bistros, The Temple Bar, where we shared a light meal and most of a bottle of Languedoc white wine (Viognier, my favorite) ... and a slice of chocolate bourbon flourless cake with fresh strawberry sauce and whipped cream.

And yes, it's another bird blip... but I couldn't resist the contrast of that bold blue against those red leaves! 

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